Review: ,Joe Bataan has been busy in East L.A. with Orquesta Rene for this new Latin jazz double 7" courtesy of Steady Beat. It features four all new pieces drenched in soul and percussion, starting with 'So Fine' (feat Big Sandy), a mid tempo groove with vocal longing and languid horns. 'Mestizo' is a more steamy and intimate piece with sung-spoken lyrics and glowing, golden chords. 'Mom & Dad' (feat Claudia Lennear) has s steamy shuffle to its rhythms and classic Latin percussive sounds next to a call and response vocal and 'Time After Time' closes with a sentimental feel.
The O'Jays - "This Time Baby" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:53)
The Futures - "Party Time Man" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:11)
Jean Carn - "My Love Don't Come Easy" (A Tom Moulton mix) (10:45)
The Jones Girls - "Nights Over Egypt" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:13)
Review: Philadelphia International Records continues to dip into its bulging archives and offer up double-packs containing some of the finest 1970s remixes from remix pioneer Tom Moulton. As you'd expect, there's plenty to get the juices flowing and the heart pounding on this third volume in the series. Record one opens up with Moulton's epic version of the O'Jays' "This Time Baby", a swirling Philly Soul classic that later became a favourite of sample-loving disco-house producers and disco re-editors, and continues with his sugary but floor-friendly version of the Futures' "Party Time Man". Over on record two, Moulton's inspired extension of Jean Carn's seductive "Love Don't Come Easy" is followed by his must-have version of the Jones Girls' "Nights Over Egypt".
Review: Blissful boogie reissue from Junko Ohashi, whose 7-inch promo for 'Dancin' here functioned as the promo material for the 1983 album 'Point Zero'. Sounding just as rough, farty and raw as its original LP cut, the track is a perfect example of what Japan brought to disco - blending it largely with city pop - at the time. 'In Your Lovin', as it did on the original album, brings up the B-side with a downer-tempo funk beat, and a lyrical subject dealing with a romanticized, ideal lover.
Review: Opolopo and Alafia recently united to embark on a fresh musical odyssey that birthed two intricately crafted percussive marvels. 'Axxanxxan' and 'Axxiove' were irresistibly captivating, blending Afro rhythms, disco allure, and synth ingenuity into dancefloor dynamite pulsating with tribal vitality. Now, both cuts get served up as instrumental cuts. On the A-side, metallic basslines, choppy guitars, and swirling synths conjure a tropical ambience, while the flip side features pronounced drums and entrancing rhythms infused with a cosmic allure. These Canopy treasures shine as brightly as the original versions.
Review: Opolopo and Alafia have hooked up here to work together on a new musical journey that takes the form of these two richly layered percussive monsters. 'Axxanxxan' and 'Axxiove' which arrive on this 12" from Canopy are as addictive as it gets - they fuse Afro rhythms and disco dazzle with synth innovation to create a pair of dance bombs with real tribal energy. The A-side is detailed with metallic bass, choppy guitars and swirling synths that add up to a nice tropical sotmg, while the flip has more prominent drums and hypnotic rhythms that have a subtle cosmos twist. Two gems from Canopy, then.
Review: Berlin based organ band Otto return with a flitty two-tracker in the Italo vein, 'Wir Kommen' and 'Elixier' being the two sonic cases in point. Topping up the label's Maximal Super Sound sub-discog, the tracks are equally as riveting as they are buzzing. The first is vocoder-laden, cold, brittle and icy, yet somehow warms in equal measure through its slightly rhythmically offset leads and pads. 'Elixier', meanwhile, lolls and ironicizes away into a kind of auditory mad-hatter's pleasure garden, getting far weirder with it via carefully delayed popcorn stabs and rainmaker-esque, cascading sounds in the breakdown.
Review: 'Independance Cha Cha' was something of a historic anthem that immortalised Congo's independence and marked the debut release from a Congolese-owned record label, Surboum African Jazz, under the guidance of Joseph Kabasele. This pioneering move sparked a wave of new record labels in 1960s Kinshasa, led by the era's many musical luminaries. Planet Ilunga's Les editeurs Congolais series pays homage to these trailblazing label owners, starting with this, Les Editions Populaires, founded by Franco Luambo Makiadi in 1968. This compilation of 16 tracks from its early years showcases Franco's vision, spanning rumba, Lingala ballads, Kikongo traditionals, and even Yoruba influences, alongside American funk pastiches.
Review: Antonio launched his own label Tribal Winds all the way back in 1998 so big up to him for still serving up new releases over a quarter of a century later. This one is a killer, too - a worldly melange of influences from house to Afro, disco to funk. 'Nibakhulu' kicks off with a hefty tribal feel then 'Ashe' (feat Morris Revy) gets more percussive. 'The Old Ones' (feat Taola) rides on funky drum patterns with lush string sounds and big claps powering it along and last of all 'Africa Me Llama' (feat Ziphezinhle Celeste) comes with fresh percussive patter and jumbled drum funk. Each of the tunes gets a side each to play out and really make its mark.
Review: A lesser-known but electrifyingly slick city pop record (her fourth) by Junko Ohashi. 1979's Full House hears the Japanese singer's graceful but powerful contralto in full collaborative force, paired against the historic instrumental talents of her backing band, Minoya Central Station. Perhaps second only to Ohashi's timeless New York paean, Magical, Full House is yet another discographic dazzler that most likely contributed to the revival of the city pop genre after its retroactive but no less ironic recognition in the popular music sphere by the vaporwave subgenre, future funk. The mood throughout Full House is vital and joyful, suggesting something close to complete emotional fulfilment and idealistic glee on the singer's part - all part of the city pop's objective - its grand plan - to portray metropolitan life as an ultimate ideal.
Review: Taeko Ohnuki, known for her cult records from the late 70s and 80s, has seen her reputation soar over the years. Among her standout works is Grey Skies, which, despite its initial commercial challenges, has become a beloved classic. This remastered edition revitalizes the album with its rich blend of classic rock, jazz, pop, and AOR. Featuring a diverse array of instruments-synths, trombones, clarinet, wood blocks, harpsichord, electric organs, and more-Grey Skies delivers a lush and dynamic listening experience, showcasing Ohnuki's intricate and innovative sound.
Review: Following 2012's fourth volume that celebrated the existential work of Tim Maia, here we find Luaka Bop exploring the legacy of William Onyeabor. A high chief and Kenyan diplomat who allegedly refuses to discuss his music, he self-released eight albums in the 70s and 80s and these are some of the many highlights. Stretching from the New York-influenced post-punk synth funk of "Good Name" to the most authentic Afro fusion of "Why Go To War", Onyeabor's range not only reflects his clear creative skill, but also the ever-developing international language of music during the fruitful period he was active. Who is William Onyeabor? Press play and find out yourselves...
Review: A lesson in how to follow up an incredible album: Tomorrow followed Onyeabor's incendiary Atomic Bomb immaculately. The title track instantly set the scene with more emphasis on electronic elements and studio techniques as William sermonises without pomp. "Why Go To War" is as insistent as its message thanks to a dense lolloping groove of highlife guitars and spiralling keys. "Fantastic Man", meanwhile, takes a leaf out of Parliament's playbook, rolls it up and smokes its own and "Try & Try" closes the show with country subtlety thanks to its slide guitars and blushing keys.
Pieces: Tombo/La Escuela/Tombo/The Last Goodbye (5:17)
Groove (6:06)
Review: Opa's Goldenwings returns to vinyl after 50 years, offering a remastered take on the 1976 fusion masterpiece that has long been a coveted gem among jazz-funk collectors. Released by Craft Recordings via Jazz Dispensary's Top Shelf series, this album showcases the legendary collaboration between the Fattoruso Brothers, Airto Moreira, and Hermeto Pascoal. Goldenwings blends Latin rhythms, intricate synth work, and lush vocal harmonies into an exhilarating fusion experience. Tracks like the funk-forward title track and the cosmic 'Totem' highlight Hugo Fattoruso's mastery of layered keyboards, while 'Corre NiNa' and 'African Bird' bring a joyful and folk-inspired energy. The album's centerpiece, 'Tombo,' features an impressive suite that leads into the dancefloor-ready closer, 'Groove.' With all-analogue mastering by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram vinyl, this reissue offers a pristine listening experience, complete with the original album art. Goldenwings is a fresh discovery for a new generation of listeners so this reissue will be a much needed one.
Review: Opa's Back Home was first reocrded in 1975 but not released until 1996; it was the fourth and final album by the esteemed Uruguayan fusion band, whose preferred admixture was usually some melted pot of funk and samba, making for an impressive heuristic building on their intuitive recalling of their mutual upbringing in South America. Mysteriously (for reasons unknown to the band), Opa's debut was shelved and remained so until the mid-1990s. But the story goes that it was recorded after renowned label producer and owner Larry Rosen heard the band playing in a Brooklyn nightclub; with this in mind, Back Home makes for an ironic title, since the sonic turn expressed by the band is not one of homesickness, but rather that of an immersion in New York's metamorphous music scene ('Brooklynville' has an instant proto-hip-hop vibe, if not for its original urban field recording, then certainly for its bulbous broken funk twang). Now reissued on vinyl and CD via Far Out, you won't want to miss this round trip.
Review: Reel People Music expands the fizzing dynamic between highly accomplished label associates Opolopo (AKA Peter Major) and Angela Johnson with the release of their brand new album Best of Both Worlds. The nine-track record is an impressive merging of soulful souls, building on the pair's previous 'track-by-track' collaborative approach, and calling on influences from Quincy Jones to The Isley Brothers. From the twizzling decrescendos of Buffalo, which hears the pair summon the bruk maestro Kaidi Tatham on recording and co-prod duties, to the sparkly, sparky whetstone electro-disco track 'The Ones You Love', we really do get the best of both worlds here; we get nine worlds, in fact.
Review: Even by the consistently high standards of Analog Africa, this release is something special. It consists entirely of previously unheard music by Orchestre Abass, an obscure outfit from Togo who released a handful of singles on Polydor Ghana in the early 1970s. Remarkably, all bar one of the tracks on "De Bassari Togo" were found on a long forgotten reel of tape that had sat on a shelf in a Ghanaian warehouse for the best part of 35 years. That was ten years ago; it's taken that long to track down the remaining members of the band and license the material. In truth, the tracks have aged exceptionally well, with the band's infectious, organ-led sound adding distinct Arabic influences (a result of the band members' time spent studying in Islamic schools) to their heavy funk rhythms and riotous Afro-funk vibes.
Review: Originally released in 1980 on the Alberika label, Orchestre Les Volcans du Benin Vol. 1 has long been a 'holy grail' LP for Afro-Cuban aficionados. It now sees it's first official reissue on Acid Jazz Records, with four infectious tracks across the two sides, including Oya Ka Jojo - latin dancefloor dynamite and a DJ must-have. Remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound Mastering and presented in a wonderful colour sleeve, it's an opportunity to finally own this special and highly sought after LP.
Review: Acid Jazz has got an ongoing deal to issue and reissue music from Benin funk supergroup Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou and the latest fruits of that is this reissue of their Le Sato album. It is a follow-up to the one they dropped back in 2021 and is another section of traditional voodoo ceremonial music from the group from the mid-seventies. The name of the album is taken from the large ceremonial Sato drum, which is played with wooden stick beaters at special ceremonial occasions. Here it can be heard in all its glory making traditional rhythms and deeply ritualistic grooves that will leave you in a trance.
Review: Orlas, a father-son duo consisting of Victor Chicri and Vic Delnur, offers a vibrant blend of Brazilian musical traditions on their debut album Viver o Mar. Named after the Portuguese word for "shores," the project is a heartfelt tribute to the ocean, weaving together elements of samba-jazz, bossa nova, fusion, and disco-funk. Victor Chicri, a seasoned maestro and pianist with deep roots in Rio de Janeiro's 70s music scene, has collaborated with legends like Gal Costa and Seu Jorge. His extensive experience, including performances with the Quincy Jones Orchestra at Montreux Jazz Festival and a Latin Grammy win, shines through in the album's sophisticated arrangements. Vic Delnur, a versatile multi-instrumentalist and producer, brings a modern touch to their sound, drawing on his global experiences playing with artists like Sessa and Mahmundi. The result is a dynamic fusion of old and new, enriched by an eight-piece orchestra that adds lush textures to the grooves. The title track, 'Viver o Mar,' is a smooth, breezy fusion of samba-jazz and disco-funk that captures the spirit of the sea. 'Alagoas,' the second single, is a soulful tribute to Delnur's grandmother, celebrating the simple joys of life in the tropical paradise of her homeland. Viver o Mar is a celebration of Brazilian music's rich heritage, delivered with a modern flair.
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